Adrian is the Executive Director of Aveanna Newark. From early days as a Client Services Supervisor, Adrian’s Aveanna journey has always been mission-driven, full of purpose, and defined by personal and professional growth. Adrian shared with us an inspiring story of finding motivation, gratitude, and fulfillment here at Aveanna.
How long have you worked in healthcare?
My first job out of high school was as a Direct Care Worker. I did that for about a year. The rest of my healthcare experience came when I joined Aveanna in October 2021. In between being a DCW and joining Aveanna, I had a couple of different jobs but was always in leadership roles.
What brought you to Aveanna?
I was looking for a change in my career path. I knew someone who worked at Aveanna’s Jenkintown office. He said that office was hiring, but after my interview they redirected me to our Bala Cynwyd office. They knew I would be great for that team. I was looking for a position that offered more stability and opportunity.
What position did you start in at Aveanna?
I started as a CSS on the unskilled adult Bala Cynwyd team. It was a good fit with my DCW background. I knew what it was like to be a caregiver. Having been on the other side, I knew how to bridge the gap and the type of person it takes to be a great caregiver. Many of the caregivers we hired were straight out of high school, just like I had been. It wasn’t just my job to staff the cases but also to build a quality employee, to guide them with those core values and principles that make a great caregiver.
How have you grown while part of Aveanna?
It was challenging when I first started out as a Client Services Supervisor (CSS). But I found where I could insert myself and become the most effective. I buried myself in my caseload. And then I became familiar with everyone else’s caseloads. I started to see that I could make a real difference here. The CSS role takes a people-person, someone who can pick up the phone and listen and hear the family and caregivers out and come up with a solution that works for everyone.
I did that for a little bit, then became a Client Services Manager, which had its own challenges and growth opportunities. I learned a lot in that role. Now I’ve come to a Private Duty Nursing office in Delaware. I don’t have direct experience with nursing, but there are so many people and resources at Aveanna to help us learn and grow. My focus when starting this role was learning, leading, and making sure I conform where I need to but bring change where necessary.
Good leadership is about understanding people, how you make them feel, and having empathy for them. There have been multiple leaders here at Aveanna that became my mentors in a way. They didn’t let up off of me – they pushed me to live up to my potential and become all I could be. They helped me grow into my current position. Now as an Executive Director, I want to pay that forward and help others grow in the same way.
What keeps you going on difficult days?
Empathy. And the satisfaction of making someone’s day. When I can truly help a family, it brings me joy. Every time I can help a patient, family, or caregiver get past a hurdle, it motivates me to keep going and working harder for everyone we serve.
What does it mean to be part of the Aveanna team?
Before coming to Aveanna, I didn’t realize how much of an asset I could be, not just to my team but other teams as well. I try to help out wherever I can because I see the vision and where we’re trying to go as a company. I’m proud to be part of this team. It gives me a chance to connect with and be a resource to my community. The people we serve could be our neighbors, people we see at the grocery store, or our kids’ schoolteachers.
I’m a “boots on the ground” type of person. I will roll up my sleeves, get to work, make calls, show up at the family’s house, hold the baby – whatever it takes. You can’t be afraid to do that. That’s what Aveanna means to me.
What have you found at Aveanna?
I found motivation. I found gratitude. I found fulfillment. I know I am making a difference every single day.
What would you say to someone who is considering joining the Aveanna team?
If you’re looking to join a company that’s making an impact across the market, from patient to nurse to caregiver, Aveanna is the place to be. There isn’t a single person I’ve run into here who hasn’t had the compassion, care, and tenacity to do this job. If you want to be part of a team that is growing and leading in this space, come to Aveanna.
Everyone is looking for a job, the right career path for them. But sometimes coming here doesn’t even feel like work because I love what I do. I love to be impactful. I love to be innovative. I love to throw ideas off of like-minded people and come up with a plan together to reach our goal. I’m a model success story. I went from being a Client Services Supervisor to managing other Client Services Supervisors to now managing an entire office. It took less than two years. It’s doable. It’s just a question of how motivated you are.
If you’re looking for fulfilling work and growth opportunities like Adrian, join the Aveanna team today.